Valve actuating mechanism



April 17, 1956 J. A. SlLLS 2,741,931

VALVE ACTUATING MECHANISM Filed Aug. 8, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VEN TOR.

Joseph A. Sills A ffys.

April 17, 1956 J. A. SlLLS VALVE ACTUATING MECHANISM 2 Sheets-Sheat 2 Filed Aug. 8. 1951 INVENTOR. Joseph A. Sills BY M, 061w M Affys.

, valve application in a United States Patent VALVE ATUATE IG MECHANISM Joseph Anthony Sills, St. Charles, Ill., assignor of one-half to Anton J. Bernotas, Amhoy, ill.

Application August 8, 1951, Serial No. 240,957

6 Qiaims. (Cl. 74-'569) The present invention relates to valve actuating mechanisms for internal combustion engines, or the like, and more particularly to such mechanisms for actuating valves of the gate type.

It is the general object of the present invention to provide improved valve actuating mechanism that may be employed'with either an intake valve or an exhaust valve in an internal combustion engine and that is simple in construction and positive in operation.

Another object of the invention is to provide a gate valve actuating mechanism that embodies an improved arrangement of the elements thereof effecting exceedingly fast full opening of the valve port and moderately fast full closing of the valve actuating'port thereby rendering the valve mechanism admirably suited to intake high speed internal combustion engine. V e

A further object of the invention is to provide gate valve actuating mechanism embodying an improved arrangement of elements accommodating ready assembly and disassembly thereof so as to facilitate adjustment and repair in a simple and economical manner.

Further features of the invention pertain to the particular arrangement of the elements of the valve actuating mechanism, whereby the above-outlined and additional operating features thereof are attained The invention, both as to its organization and method of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof, will best be understood by reference to the following specification taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a fragmentary lateral sectional view of an internal combustion engine incorporating both intake and exhaust valves of the gate type provided with valve actuating mechanisms embodying the present invention; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view, taken in the direction of the arrows along the offset line 22 in Fig. 1, of the upper portion of one side of the engine, illustrating the arrangement of the stationary and movable gate valve elements incorporated in the intake valve; and Fig. 3 is a'fragmentary plan view of the one side of the engine,

' illustrating the arrangement of the control cams in the valve actuating mechanism for selectively operating the intake valve.

Referring now to Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive, of the drawings, there is illustrated an internal combustionengin of the'four-cycle type embodying the features or the present invention and comprising an upstanding block 11 and head 12 detachably secured together in any suitable manner, not shown. number of longitudinally spaced-apart upstanding piston chambers that receive cooperating pistons, one of the piston chambers being indicated at 13 and the cooperating piston being indicated at 14. The head 12 comprises a number of longitudinally spaced-apart piston chamber domes provided with communicating intake and exhaust passages, one of the piston chamber domes being indi- The block 11 comprises a 2,741,931 Patented Apr. 17, 1956 cated at 15 and the communicating intake and exhaust passages being respectively indicated at 16 and 17. The

communicates with the exterior adjacent to a surrounding flange 18 that is carried by one side of the head 12 and adapted to receive an associated intake manifold, not shown. Similarly the inner end of the exhaust passage 17 communicates with the dome 15 and the outer end of the exhaust passage 17 communicates with the exterior adjacent to a surrounding flange 19 that is carried by the other side of the head 12 and adapted to receive an associated exhaust manifold, not shown. Further the head 12 is provided with a plurality of longitudinally spaced-apart spark plug recesses communicating with the associated piston chamber domes, one of the spark plug recesses being indicated at 28 and communicating with the dome 15.

Also the head 12 is provided with two laterally spacedapart and longitudinally extending rows of upstanding openings intersecting the intake and exhaust passages and communicating with the exterior, the openings intersecting the intake and exhaust passages 16 and 17 be ing respectively indicated at 21 and 22, the openings 21 and 22 being rectangular in plan view. Further the head 12 carries two laterally spaced-apart and longitudinally extending rows of valve mechanisms arranged in pairs and operatively associated with the openings 21, 22, etc, and constituting the intake and exhaust valves for the piston chambers .13, etc. illustrated in Fig. l, the intake and exhaust valve. actuating mechanisms for the piston chamber 13 are respectively illustrated at 36A and 39B and are operatively associated with the respective openings 21 and 22, and are preferably of identical construction. The longitudinal- I 1y disposed row of valve actuating mechanisms 30A,

' respect to each other by mechanism, not shown, that is,

in turn, driven from the crankshaft, not shown, of the engine 10. i

As illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, the intake valve actuating mechanism 30A controls an intake valve of the gate type that includes a stationary valve element 31 and a movable valve element 32 arranged in the intersection between the intake passage 16 and theopening 21. More particularly the stationary valve element 31 is rectangular'in plan and arranged in a recess 33 rectangular in plan and extending into the bottom of the head 12 and communicating with the opening 21, the valve element 31 being suitably removably secured in place by a pair of screws 34 extending through openings provided in outwardly projecting ears 35 formed on the base of the valve element 31 and threaded into tapped openings provided in the head'll. The valve element 31 is also substantially rectangular in face view, as illustrated in Fig. 2, and has a substantially rectangular valve port 36 formed therethrough between the inner and outer faces thereof. The movable valve element 32 is rectangular in plan and arranged mutually in the inner end of the opening 21 and in the recess 33 and mounted for longitudinal sliding movements in cooperating relation with respect to the stationary valve element 31. The valve Specifically, as

element 32 is also substantially rectangular in face view, as illustrated in Pig. 2, and is movable into open and closed positions with respect to the valve port 36. The inner face of the stationary valve element 31 surrounding the valve port 36 and the outer face of the movable valve element 32 are arranged in cooperating tapered relation so that these adjacent faces of the valve elements 3i and 32 are slid into tight sealing engagement with respect to each other closing the valve port 36 when the valve element 32 is moved downwardly toward the valve element 31 and into its closed position.

Also the intake valve actuating mechanism 3%?A comprises a substantially annular base 37 arranged upon the top of the head 12 in surrounding relation with respect to t.e opening 21 and removably secured in place by a plurality of circumferentially spaced-apart bolts 38, the inner ends of the bolts 38 being received in cooperating tapped holes provided in the top of the head 12. The central portion of the base 37 terminates in an upstanding tubular member 3? formed integrally therewith and slidably supporting the intermediate portion of an elongated valve stem 49, the inner end of the valve stem 40 projecting into the central portion of the opening 21 and the outer end of the valve stem 4% projecting well above the outer end of the tubular member 39. The inner end of the stem 40 projecting into the opening 21 removably carries the movable valve element 32, as explained more fully hereinafter, effecting operation of the movable valve element 32 between its open and closed positions with respect to the stationary valve element 31. Also the base 37 removably carries an annular ring 41 that terminates in an upstanding tubular barrel 42 formed integrally therewith and surrounding the tubular member 39. Further an upstanding inverted substantially cup-shaped casing 43 is slidably supported upon the barrel 42, the casing 43 terminating in an outer end wall 44 having a centrally disposed opening 45 therein through which the outer end of the stem 40 projects to the exterior. Thus the valve stem 4% is mounted for longitudinally sliding movements upon the tubular member 39; and the casing 43 is mounted for longitudinally sliding movements upon the barrel 42. The barrel 42 surrounds the tubular member 3? in spaced relation therewith defining an upstanding chamber 46 therebetween, the outer end of the barrel 42 extending some.- what beyond the outer end of the tubular member 39. An annular ring 47 is arranged in the bottom of the chamber 46 in overlapped relation with respect to the adjacent portions of the ring 41 and a shoulder 48 provided on the base 37 at the inner end of the tubular member 39. A helical compression spring 49 is arranged within the chamber 46 with the opposite ends thereof engaging the ring 47 and the casing 43.

An abutment 50 is removably carried by the stem 40 and housed within the outer end of the casing 43. Specifically the abutment 50 may take the form of a pair of split collars 51 fitted into an adjacent annular recess 52 provided about the adjacent portion of the stem 40 and retained in place by a surrounding sleeve 53. This arrangement accommodates ready assembly and disassembly of the abutment 50 with respect to the stem 40 in a Wellknown manner. The outer end of the casing 43 adjacent to the end wall 44 is somewhat reduced as indicated at 54 and is provided with an internal bore 55 that slidably supports the sleeve 53, a helical spring 56 being arranged within the bore 55, the opposite ends of the spring 56 respectively engaging the adjacent end wall 44 of the casing 43 and an associated shoulder provided on the outer end of the sleeve 53.

An abutment 57 is removably carried upon the outer end of the stem 49, exteriorly of the end wall 44 of the casing 43 and may take the form of a slotted collar 58 fitted into an adjacent annular recess 59 provided about the adjacent portion of the stem 40 and retained in place by an associated shroud washer 60, that, in turn, is held in place by a cotter key 61 extending through an associated opening formed in the extreme outer end of the stem 40.

The stem comprises an upwardly disposed normal position, and a downwardly disposed operated position illustrated in Fig. l; and like the casing 43 corn-prises and upwardly disposed normal position, and a downwardly disposed operated position illustrated in Fig. l. The stem 4%) and the casing 43 are mounted for independent longitud nal sliding movements and the travel of the casing 43 -.cen its normal and operated positions is somewhat greater than the travel of the stem 4t) between its normal and operated positions, for a purpose more fully explained hereinafter. The casing 43 carries a pair of oppositely disposed and longitudinally projecting studs 62 arranged adjacent to the lower end thereof, that, in turn, carry a pair of hardened rollers 63 that cooperate with the cam surfaces of the adjacent longitudinally spaced-apart earns 24, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. Also as illustrated in Fig. 3, each of the cams 24 is provided with an adjacent collar 64 formed integrally therewith and fixed in place upon the camshaft 23 by a set screw 65. This arrangement permits proper timing of the cams 24 with respect to the camshaft 23 in order properly to control the intake valve actuating mechanism 30A with respect to the control of the exhaust valve actuating mechanism 30B and to the intake and exhaust valve actuating mechanisms, not shown, associated with the other piston chambers, not shown, in the engine 10.

In view of the foregoing description of the construction and arrangement of the valve actuating mechanism 39A, it will be understood that during rotation of the camshaft 23, the cams 24-riding upon the rollers 63 depress or move the casing 43 from its normal position into its operated position illustrated in Fig. 1, whereby the casing 43 sliding upon the barrel 42 compresses the spring 49. Also the movement of the casing 43 from its normal position into its operated position effects compression of the spring 56 between the end wall 44 of the casing 43 and the abutment 50 carried by the tem 40, whereby the stem 40 is moved from its normal position into its operated position illustrated in Fig. 1. Since the travel of the casing 43 is somewhat greater than that of the stem 40, the stem 40 reaches its fully operated position prior to the time that the casing 43 reaches its fully operated position, whereby the spring 56 is further compressed urging the stem 40 downwardly into its fully operated position with the desired pressure. As the cams 24 continue to rotate, the rollers 63 are further depressed so that the casing 43 is moved into its final and fully operated position, the casing 43 being held in its fully operated position for a predetermined time interval thereafter by virtue of the shape of the cams 24. Upon further rotation of the earns 24, the cam surfaces thereof disengage the rollers 63, whereby the casing 43 is released permitting the spring 49 to restore the casing 43 from its operated position back into its normal position in an exceedingly fast manner. As the casing 43 moves back toward its normal position, the end wall 44 thereof strikes the abutment 57, whereby the stem 40 is moved from its operated position back into its normal position. Of course the intake valve actuating mechanism 30A is operated cyclically by virtue of continued rotation of the camshaft 23, in the manner described above, whereby the intake valve actuating mechanism 30A is operated into its closed position moderately fast and is then held in its closed position for a predetermined time interval and is then returned back into its open position exceedingly fast. Further it will be appreciated that the camshafts 23 and 25 are operated in predetermined timed relation so that the intake valve actuating mechanism 30A and the exhaust valve actuating mechanism 30B are operated in predetermined timed relation effecting the usual intake, compression, explosion and exhaust cycles of the four-cycle engine 10.

As previously noted, the inner end of the stem 40 removably carries the movable valve element 32, the arrangement consisting essentially of a bayonet type joint therebetween. More specifically the extreme inner end of the stem 40 terminates in an abutment in the form of an annular flange 66 that is normally arranged in a cross slot 67 provided in the outer end of the movable valve element 32, as illustrated in Fig. 2. Moreover a centrally disposed bore 68 is formed in the extreme inner end of the stem 40 and receives a helical spring 69 that is arranged in compression between the end of the bore 68 and the adjacent surface of the movable valve element 32 in the cross slot 67. This arrangement accommodates some adjustment between the adjacent surfaces of the valve elements 31 and 32 as the valve element 32 is moved into its fully closed position incident to movement of the stem 40 into its operated position. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, a substantially cylindrical centrally disposed bore 70 is provided in the opening 21 in order slidably to receive the flange 66 so as to support the extreme lower end of the stem 46. Also the flange 66 cooperates with the inner end of the opening 21 to serve as a stop for the stem 40 preventing movement thereof beyond its fully operated position. Finally a ring 71 is mounted upon the inner end of the stem 40 exteriorly of the cross slot 67 provided in the outer end of the movable valve element 32, which ring 71 carries an annular packing member 72 surrounding the stem 40. The packing member 72 engages the inner end of the tubular member 39 and seals the stem 40 thereto when the stem 40 occupies its normal position. This arrangement, including the packing member 72, 18 particularly useful in the intake valve actuating mechanism 30A in that it prevents dust or other foreign material from being drawn through the opening 21 and the intake passage 16 into the piston chamber 13 in the intake cycle of the piston 14. i

In view of the foregoing description of the construction and arrangement of the intake valve actuating mechanism 30A, it will be understood that the component elements thereof may be readily assembled and disassembled with respect to each other without requiring special tools, and that the intake valve actuating mechanism assembly 36A, as a whole, may be readily assembled and disassembled with respect to the head 12 by proper manipulation of the bolts 33 when the cams 24 occupy their positions releasing the cooperating rollers 63.

In conclusion, it is pointed out that the piston 14 in the engine is in its exhaust stroke as illustrated in Fig. 1, whereby the camshafts 23 and 25 are respectively rotated in the counterclockwise direction and in the clockwise direction so that the cams 24 are holding the casing of the intake valve actuating mechanism 30A in its operated position while the cams 26 have previously released the casing of the exhaust valve actuating mechanism 398. A short time interval thereafter, the earns 26 will move the casing of the exhaust valve actuating mechanism 308 from its normal position into its operated position; and after an additional short time interval, the cams 24- will release the casing of the intake valve actuating mechanism 30A permitting the casing of the intake valve actuating mechanism 30A to be returned from its operated position back into its normal position.

In view of the foregoing, it is apparent that there has been provided in an internal combustion engine, improved gate valve actuating mechanism that is of simple and rugged construction and arrangement.

While there has been described what is at present considered to be the preferred embodiment of the invention, it will be understood that various modifications may be made therein, and it is intended to cover in the appended claims all such modifications as fall within the true spirit and scopeof the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. Valve actuating mechanism comprising an elongated stem having a normal position and an operated position,

an elongated tubular casing surrounding the intermediate portion of said stern and having a normal position and an operated position, stationary tubular supporting struc ture located between said stem and said casing and mounting said stem and said casing for independent longitudinal sliding movements between their normal and operated positions, the travel of said casing between its normal and operated positions being greater than the travel of said stem between its normal and operated positions, a first helical spring arranged between said casing and said structure and compressed in response to movement of said casing from its normal position into its operated position, a first abutment carried by said stem, a second helical spring arranged between said casing and said first abutment and compressed in response to movement of said casing from its normal position into its operated position moving said stem from its normal position into its operated position and then exerting additional pressure upon said stem in its operated position, said first spring quickly returning said casing from its operated position back into its normalposition in response to the release of said casing, means including a second abutment carried by said stern and cooperating with said casing for returning said stem from its operated position back into its normal position in response to the return of said casing back into its normal position, and control means for moving said casing from its normal position into its operated position and then for holding said casing in its operated position and then for releasing said casing.

2. The valve actuating mechanism set forth in claim 1, wherein said casing is provided with an end wall having an opening therein through which the end of said stem projects, and said first and second abutments are respectively arranged interiorly and exteriorly of said casing adjacent to said end wall.

3. The valve actuating mechanism set forth in claim 2, wherein said first and second abutments are detachably secured to said stem to permit ready assembly and disassembly of said stern and said casing with respect to each other.

4. The valve actuating mechanism set forth in claim 2, wherein said first abutment slidably engages a cooperating interior surface or" said casing in order to maintain alignment between said stem and said casing.

5. Valve actuating mechanism comprising an elongated stem having a normal position and an operated position, an elongated tubular casing surrounding the intermediate portion of said stem and having a normal position and an operated position, stationary tubular supporting structure located between said stem and said casing and mounting said stem and said casing for independent iongitudinal sliding movements between their normal and operated positions, the travel of said casing between its normal and operated positions being greater than the travel of said stem between its normal and operated positions, a first helical spring arranged between said casing and said structure and compressed in response to movement of said casing from its normal position into its operated position, a first abutment carried by said stem, a second helical spring arranged between said casing and said first abutment and compressed in response to move ment of said casing from its normal position into its operated position moving said stem from its normal position into its operated position and then exerting additional pressure upon said stem in its operated position, said first spring quickly returning said casing from its operated position back into its normal position in response to the release of said casing, means including a second abutment carried by said stern and cooperating with said casing for returning said stem from its operated position back into its normal position in response to the return of said casing back into its normal position, a pair of aligned oppositely extending studs carried by the opposite sides of said casing, a pair of rollers respectively carried by said studs, and means including a pair of spaced-apart cams cooperating with said rollers for moving said casing from its normal position into its operated position and then for holding said casing in its operated position and then for releasing said casing.

6. The valve actuating mechanism set forth in claim 5, and further comprising a laterally extending rotatably mounted shaft carrying said cams.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 914,864 McMyers Mar. 9, 1909 1,108,473 Ractliffe Aug. 25, 1914 1,180,042 Hoyt Apr. 18, 1916 8 Kirk May 21, 1918 Winesburg May 20, 1924 Klipstein June 23, 1925 Keitz Mar. 30, 1926 Flaker May 31, 1932 Schulze Oct. 18, 1932 Gass July 9, 1940 Priest July 20, 1948 Wood May 23, 1950 Schoenrock Nov. 7, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Germany Oct. 4, 1926 

